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Girlfriends in God - April 4, 2012

Today’s TruthIndeed, none of those whowaitfor You will be ashamed;” (Psalm 25:3).

Friend to Friend
Yesterday I told you about my little neighbor, Philip, who had a tendency to walk in our house whenever he wanted. I told him that he couldn’t walk right in, but had to knock first. So the next day he knocked, and then when I didn’t answer the door, he walked right in.

“Philip,” I scolded, “I thought I told you to knock.”

“I did,” he said, “But you didn’t come. So I came on in.”

Mercy! We looked at how quickly we knock (ask God for direction in prayer), but how reluctant we are to wait for the answer before plowing ahead. Let’s look at that again today.

Many problems and messes in our lives come from not waiting on God’s answer before we move forward and forge ahead with our own desires without hearing clear direction from God.

Silence from God does not mean “go ahead, do what you want to do.” God not saying “no” cannot be interpreted as God saying “yes.” I’m not sure if that sentence is even grammatically correct, but it is scripturally accurate.

“God didn’t stop me from buying that house, so I did it.” “God didn’t stop me from marrying that man, so I did it.” “God didn’t stop me from sleeping with that boy, so I did it.” Oh my. “I knocked and you didn’t answer, so I came on in.”

If you aren’t hearing from God in a particular area of your life, here are a few questions to consider.

1. Are you obeying what He already has told you to do?
2. Are you living your life according to the principles He already has mapped out for you?
3. Are you asking for direction in one area of your life, and yet knowingly disobeying Him in another?

Perhaps God is waiting for you to do something He already has told you to do, before He tells you the next thing or gives you further direction.

Now let’s go back to Philip. He knocked and I didn’t come to the door. So what should he have done? Knock again? Sat by the door and waited for me to come? Come back another day? Ring the doorbell a hundred times until I got tired of hearing it and opened the door? There are many other options, but walking through the door was not one of them. Are you tracking with me here?

I put my arms around this lump of love and tried to explain. “Philip, I just don’t want you to get hurt. You might walk into someone’s home and scare them? They might think you are a robber? It could be very dangerous. You have to knock and then wait for someone to open the door and invite you in.”

“OK,” he moaned with a singsongy huff of frustration.

I’m not sure he really understood, but after that day, Philip restrained his urge to walk into our house whenever he wanted.

Join me tomorrow when I share about a time when I knocked, but was met with God’s silence.

Let’s Pray
LORD, I’m knocking. Help me to wait until you answer to move ahead.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn
What do you tend to do when you don’t know what to do?

What do you tend to do when you don’t hear God’s answer or direction right away?

Look up the following passage and note how long Moses waited until God spoke to him on the mountain. Exodus 24:15-18

What happened in the valley below when the people got tired of waiting for God to give them direction through Moses? Exodus 32

Have you been knocking and waiting for God to answer? Click over to my blog page and tell me what I can be praying about for you today www.sharonjaynes.com. Just look for the comment box under today’s devotion and enter your request.

More from the Girlfriends
Trusting God. It is something we all need to do. And when life doesn’t turn out the way we had hoped, we need to trust that God has a better plan in mind. If you’d like to learn more about trusting God, check out our new GiG book by the same title…Trusting God. You can find it on my website at www.sharonjaynes.comor the GiG website at www.girlfriendsingod.com. While you’re there, download a free chapter and watch an intro video!

Seeking God?Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.